Electric actuator device

Abstract

An electric actuator device is provided with: an electric actuator body that has a first fulcrum connected to a rudder surface side of an aircraft and a second fulcrum connected to the aircraft body side, and is driven by an electric motor such that the first fulcrum and the second fulcrum can be brought closer together and drawn further apart; a support member for advancing/retracting between a support position at which the support member supports the first fulcrum or the second fulcrum thereunder, and a retracted position at which the support member is retracted from under the first fulcrum or the second fulcrum; and a retention member for retaining the first fulcrum or the second fulcrum when the support member is located in the retracted position.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An electric actuator device comprising:
 an electric actuator body that has a first fulcrum connected to a rudder surface side of an aircraft and a second fulcrum connected to an aircraft body side of the aircraft, and is driven by an electric motor such that the first fulcrum and the second fulcrum are brought closer to or separated away from each other; 
 a support member that advances and retracts between a supporting position at which the support member supports a lower side of one of the first fulcrum and the second fulcrum and a retracted position at which the support member is retracted from the lower side of the one of the first fulcrum and the second fulcrum; and 
 a holding member that holds the one of the first fulcrum and the second fulcrum when the support member is positioned at the retracted position, 
 wherein in the supporting position of the support member, the one of the first fulcrum and the second fulcrum is rotatably supported, and 
 wherein in the retracted position of the support member, a connection between the one of the first fulcrum and the second fulcrum and a corresponding one of the rudder surface side and the aircraft body side is released to thereby release a mechanical restraint between the rudder surface side of the aircraft and the aircraft body side of the aircraft which are connected to each other via the electric actuator body. 
 
     
     
       2. The electric actuator device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the support member advances and retracts with respect to the second fulcrum. 
 
     
     
       3. The electric actuator device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an electric motor for the support member that performs an advancing and retracting operation of the support member between the supporting position and the retracted position; 
 a control unit that controls the electric motor for the support member; and 
 a failure detecting unit that detects a failure in an operation of the electric actuator body, 
 wherein the control unit operates the support member to move from the supporting position to the retracted position in a case where the failure in the operation of the electric actuator body is detected by the failure detecting unit. 
 
     
     
       4. The electric actuator device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the holding member is a pendulum that includes a movable guide path in which the one of the first fulcrum and the second fulcrum is held so as to be movable with a degree of freedom when the connection between the one of the first fulcrum and the second fulcrum and the corresponding one of the rudder surface side and the aircraft body side is released, and has a rotation point above the one of the first fulcrum and the second fulcrum, and 
 the pendulum is rotatable when the connection between the one of the first fulcrum and the second fulcrum and the corresponding one of the rudder surface side and the aircraft body side is released. 
 
     
     
       5. The electric actuator device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the holding member is a wire in which the one of the first fulcrum and the second fulcrum is held.